International students holding an Australian student visa (subclass 500) are required to maintain Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the full period of their stay in Australia. OSHC is a private health insurance product specifically designed for international students — it provides access to hospital treatment, medical consultations, and pharmaceuticals while the student is in Australia. OSHC must be in place from at least one week before the course commences and must cover the full visa period (not just the course dates). Accompanying dependants — a spouse, de facto partner, or dependent children — must also be covered under the OSHC policy for the same period. DHA approves specific OSHC providers; only policies from approved providers are accepted. OSHC is a condition of the student visa and failure to maintain it can constitute a breach of visa conditions. This page explains the OSHC requirements, how to purchase OSHC, what it covers, and how it differs from Medicare and OVHC.

For current OSHC requirements, approved providers, and documentation guidance, refer to the DHA OSHC page and the Student visa 500 page.

• Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS Act), s 19 — education providers must ensure their international students hold appropriate health cover; the ESHC requirement under the National Code of Practice is linked to ESOS compliance obligations
• Student Visa (Subclass 500) criteria — Schedule 2, Migration Regulations 1994 — student visa applicants must hold OSHC from an approved provider; OSHC must cover the proposed period of stay
• Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 8, condition 8501 — student visa holders must maintain adequate health insurance for themselves and any secondary applicants throughout their stay in Australia
• DHA: OSHC information for student visa applicants — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/oshc

When OSHC must be in place

OSHC must commence at least one week before the course start date and must remain in place until the student leaves Australia. Specifically:

• If the student arrives in Australia before their course starts, OSHC should be in place from arrival
• OSHC must cover the full visa grant period — if DHA grants the visa with a two-month buffer period after the course end date, OSHC must extend to the end of the visa grant period; if OSHC only covers the course dates, the visa will be granted only to the OSHC expiry date
• If the student obtains a new student visa for a subsequent course, they must ensure their OSHC continues to cover the new visa period — OSHC renewal should be arranged before the existing policy expires

What OSHC covers

OSHC is a minimum-standard health insurance product regulated by DHA for international students. Standard OSHC coverage includes:

• Hospital treatment: inpatient and day hospital care at a hospital that accepts the student's OSHC provider
• General practitioner (GP) consultations: visits to a doctor for medical treatment
• Specialist consultations: at Medicare-scheduled rates, though gap costs may apply
• Prescription medicines: listed under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) — with applicable co-payments
• Emergency ambulance: in most states and territories

The scope and level of cover varies between approved OSHC providers and between policy tiers — students should compare policies to understand what is and is not covered. For current approved OSHC providers and their product details, refer to DHA's OSHC guidance.

Purchasing OSHC

Students can purchase OSHC through two main channels:

• Through the education provider: many institutions have a group arrangement with an approved OSHC provider and will include the OSHC cost in the fee invoice or assist students in arranging cover as part of enrolment
• Directly from an approved OSHC provider: students can purchase OSHC directly from any approved provider's website; approved providers include the major health insurers that hold DHA approval for this product

Only policies from DHA-approved OSHC providers are accepted — standard Australian private health insurance (such as that available to Australian residents or permanent residents) does not satisfy the OSHC requirement.

Documentation for the visa application

When applying for the student visa, applicants must include evidence of OSHC in their application. The required details are:

• The name of the approved OSHC provider
• The OSHC policy number
• The start and end dates of the policy

If OSHC was arranged through the education provider, the provider may supply this information as part of the enrolment confirmation documentation.

OSHC and dependants

If the student's spouse, de facto partner, or dependent children are in Australia on the student visa or accompanying visas, the OSHC policy must cover them as well. Family policies or individual extensions of the student's OSHC policy are available from approved providers. The OSHC for dependants must run for the same period as the primary student's OSHC.

OSHC versus Medicare and OVHC

Key distinctions:

• OSHC vs Medicare: International students are generally not entitled to Medicare (Australia's public health insurance) — OSHC is the equivalent private product for students. Exception: students from countries that have a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia (including the UK, New Zealand, Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium, Slovenia, and Italy) have limited Medicare access for immediately necessary treatment, but OSHC is still required
• OSHC vs OVHC: OVHC (Overseas Visitors Health Cover) is the equivalent product for working holiday makers and other temporary visa holders; it is separately regulated and not accepted in place of OSHC for student visa applicants

OSHC is a requirement most students address through their education institution rather than independently — many institutions include OSHC as a line item in their fee invoice and arrange the policy on the student's behalf. Students who switch institutions mid-study should ensure their OSHC is transferred to or extended for the full new visa period, as a gap in OSHC cover could constitute a visa condition breach. Students who extend their visa or enrol in a new course need to renew their OSHC to match the new visa period. For international students from countries with reciprocal health care agreements, the interaction between OSHC and Medicare entitlements can be confusing — the DHA and Services Australia websites provide country-specific guidance. For current OSHC requirements, approved provider listings, and the documentation DHA requires in the student visa application, refer to the DHA OSHC page.